Abigail Adams to John Adams

[dateline] Febry 8 1777

Before this time I fancy you at your journeys end; I have pittied you the Season has
been a continued cold.

I have heard oftner from you than I ever did in any of your former journeys, it has
greatly releaved my mind under its anxiety. I have received six Letters from you,
and have the double pleasure of hearing you are well, and that your Thoughts are often
turnd this way.

I have wrote once by Major Rice. Two Gentlemen set of for B[altimor]e monday or twesday and have engaged to take this Letter. I feel under so many restraints
when I sit down to write that I scarcly know what to say to you. The conveyance of
Letters is so precarious that I { 157 } shall not trust any thing of consequence to them untill we have more regular passes.

Indeed very little of any consequence has taken place since you left us. We seem to
be in a state of Tranquility; rather too much so. I wish there was a little more Zeal
shewn to join the Army.

Nothing now but the regulating Bill engrosses their attention. The merchant scolds,
the farmer growls, and every one seems wroth that he cannot grind his neighbour.1

We have a report here said to come in two private Letters that a Considerable Battle
has taken place in Brunswick in which we have taken 15000 prisoners. I cannot credit
so Good News. The Letters are said to be without date.

I rejoice so much when I only receive a few lines from you, just to hear you are well,
that I think I shall give eaquel pleasure by writing to you, tho I cannot say I have
enjoyed so much Health since you left me as I did in the begining of winter. Johnny
has had an ill turn, but is better.

I beg you would write by every opportunity, and if you cannot send so often as you
used write and Let them lay by till you make a pacquet.—What is become of the Farmer,
many reports are abroad to his disadvantage.

I feel as if you were gone to a foreign Country. Philadelphia seem'd close by but
now I hardly know how to reconcile my self to the Thought that you are 500 miles distant.
But tho distant you are always near to

[signed] Portia

RC (Adams Papers); addressed in John Thaxter's hand: “To The Honble: John Adams Esqr. at Baltimore
in Maryland”; endorsed: “Portia ans. March 7.”

1. The “regulating Bill” was An Act to prevent Monopoly and Oppression, passed 25 Jan.
1777 (Mass., Province Laws, 5:583–589). This long and detailed act hopefully fixed wages for labor and the prices
of every sort of commodity, both domestic and imported, very precisely. A supplementary
act was passed on 10 May (same, p. 642–647), but the ineffectualness of the legislation is attested by complaints
from both buyers and sellers in numerous letters that follow.

Docno: ADMS-04-02-02-0114

Author: Adams, John

Recipient: Adams, Abigail

Date: 1777-02-10

John Adams to Abigail Adams

[dateline] Baltimore Feby. 10. 1777

Yesterday, I took a long Walk with our Secretary Mr. Thompson to a Place called Fells
Point, a remarkable Piece of Ground about a mile from the Town of Baltimore. It is
a Kind of Peninsula which runs out { 158 } into the Harbour, and forms a Bason before the Town. This Bason, within thirty Years,
was deep enough for large Tobacco ships to ride in, but since that Time has filled
up ten Feet, so that none but small light Vessells can now come in. Between the Town
and the Point We pass a Bridge over a small run of Water which empties itself into
the Bason, and is the only Stream which runs into it and is quite insufficient to
float away the Earth which every year runs into the Bason from the dirty streets of
the Town and the neighbouring Hills and fields.1

There are four Men of War just entered Cheasapeak Bay, which makes it difficult for
Vessells to go out, and indeed has occasioned an Embargo to be laid here for the present.
Your Uncle2 has two Vessells here, both detained—one is now employed as a Transport for a little
While. These Men of War will disappoint you of your Barrell of flour. Your Uncle's
Vessells would sell very well here. Hardens would fetch 800 Pounds of this Money.3

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “To Mrs. John Adams Braintree favoured by [no name given]”; added in the hand of Isaac Smith Sr.: “Postage 6/ Yrs. I Smith”; docketed in pencil
by AA. LbC (Adams Papers) is an abstract: “10 Feb. wrote a short Letter to Portia, which I had not Time to
transcribe, and sent it by a Hand of Captn. Arnold who is here from the Mass. Board
of War.—The Letter contains nothing but an observation or two concerning Fells Point
and the Bason before the Town, and one or Two things about her Uncles Vessells.”